Sharingan Blood
by Titan of Saturn
Summary: Having long removed himself from the people of the Leaf, Sasuke finds himself thrust into the position of Sensei for two very different Genin teams. And he has to do it without the support of his own lost teammates
1. in the middle

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or setting. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

Kunai are flying and people yelling, his team had been ambushed. A quick spin found that Shikimaru was down. He yelled to Sakura to tend to him, back flipping out of the way of an arrow and then springing forward to avoid a kick. He used a quick Jutsu, his clones spreading out to compensate for their numbers. Five against three dozen are not even odds. His clones, created on the thought to fight, did just that. The odds evened out, they held their ground. The surprise was wearing off and they flew through the opposing ninja's with quick efficiency.

That was, of course, until _he_ came.

* * *

Getting a summons to the Hokage's office was not a regular thing for Sasuke. It worried him actually, he kept to himself, didn't cause trouble, and the town mostly ignored him. He liked it that way, much better than in the beginning when every time he'd go to market people would give him a wide birth and ninja's stood their guard higher. Now a days the town chose to forget about the Uchiha family and their two crazy traitor sons. So getting a summons from Tsunade was very out of the ordinary. Traveling up to her office in the tower, Sasuke found himself being trailed by two Anbu. He wasn't that surprised really, more annoyed. It wasn't like he could hurt anyone anymore.

Tsunade looked horrible. Her face was pale, her eyes red, and her brows pinched. Sasuke became even more worried. He bowed to her respectfully, and waited for her to address him. It took a while; she was bent over a stack of mission reports, reading like a madwoman whose final hope was in the scrolls. And the longer Sasuke stood there, the more worried he became. Just as he was tempted to fidget, she spoke.

"Sasuke."

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" If she was surprised by the way his voice sounded, she didn't show it. Sasuke didn't feel the need to find out.

"I need you to do something. You won't like it, but it needs to be done." Sasuke stayed silent and let her finish. "I understand that you are technically not a ninja anymore, and that you can not use your Chakra."

"Technically." Sasuke felt the need to add. Tsunade just nodded her head. You couldn't really keep a ninja from being a ninja, it was in the soul.

"Having said that, I am aware that you have continued your studies. You are very talented, Sasuke, and very strong. Even without access to your Chakra. I have no doubt that you could pass the Jounin test easily, and you are nineteen."

"Hokage." The tired woman sighed.

"Something happened on Naruto's last mission, Sasuke. His entire team is missing. Relations have been tight recently with some of the other villages, and trouble has been brewing for sometime." Her fingers stapled together and she stared thoughtfully over the dark haired boy's shoulder. "A war is at hand, Uchiha. It will be much different than the last." Sasuke waited for the Fifth Hokage to continue, knowing she couldn't possibly be asking for his support. There was something else. "I need you to take up the training of some Genin teams. I just can not spare the Jounin anymore for their training, and they need to be trained."

"I will not be able to take them on missions like this." His words _like this_ echoed in the room. The Honorable Fifth Hokage knew what he meant.

"We are not spread so thin as to not be able to spare Kakashi every one in a while. We do not, however, have the time for constant watch and training of young and foolish Genin. That is why I need you to train them."

"Their parents will not like it." Dark eyes probed her, looking for the reason, the truth. Tsunade was very glad his Sharingan was not in place, his skill with that so great that she suspected him to be on level with the Mangenkyou. Maybe better, he had been practicing a lot, she knew. It was the only ninja ability left that he could do, really, besides taijutsu. The man clung to that.

"They will not." She acknowledged, handing him the files on his teams. Sasuke took them silently, and left. Tsunade sighed in relief that he did not protest.

Just because his Chakra was bound didn't mean Sasuke wasn't still dangerous. The Uchiha prodigy indeed.

* * *

Megumi looked over at her two teammates, headband on her forehead making the top of her ears itch. Sanosuke and Makoto were sparring lightly, and she had a book open in her hands. Naruto-sensei was two hours late. She was annoyed. He was usually only about ten or fifteen minutes late. This was so pushing it.

"Ow Ow! Mako!" Sanosuke whined when the other boy had pulled a dirty trick and pinched the underside of his elbow.

"Aw, come on Sano! If Naruto-sensei saw you whining over that little thing, you'd so be in for a beating. Suck it up, be a man."

"Speaking of, he's really late, isn't he? Maybe he ditched us, or went off on a mission and forgot to tell us again."

"It doesn't matter. We wait until nightfall or someone comes to tell us where he is." Megumi interjected, brunette ponytail swinging as she looked up to the boys. Sano grinned and opened his mouth to comment, but instead shot to his feet. Megumi and Mako followed suit, all three looking around wearily.

"What is it?" Megumi asked striding over quickly to join her teammates, all three with their backs to each other.

"I'm- not sure. I felt something, but it's gone now." Sano replied, still searching with his senses around the clearing.

"Naruto-sensei playing a trick?"

"No, it was definitely not Naruto-sensei. This was much darker, and concealed."

"I appreciate your trust and team work, but putting your backs to me is not really a good idea." All three whirled around to the voice, surprised to find him standing in the place their triangle had left open. Right in the middle of them.

Makoto, stupid and high strung as he was, went for the man almost immediately. Megumi let surprise and frustration flash through her even as she lunged to intercept the boy. Sanosuke had done the same on the other side, and both hooked their arms under his and hauled the boy a good ten feet from the stranger.

"Idiot." She hissed at him. Even she could tell this guy was dangerous, all the more so by the lack of ninja uniform. He wasn't even wearing a headband. Megumi kept her eyes on him, examining him as she did so. He wore a pair of black pants and sandals, ninja tools and weapons hanging from a belt around his waist. A dark blue sleeveless shirt hung loosely from pale skin and his forearms were covered by black leather gauntlets, held tight against his skin by the laces crisscrossing on the underside. Chin length black hair shone with a bluish tint in the sun, and onyx eyes watched them with a sort of consideration.

"Who are you." Sanosuke demanded, and Megumi was proud of him for keeping the tremble out of his voice.

"Did Hokage-sama not inform you? I'm not surprised." The sound of his voice made her stiffen. Sano flinched back on Mako's other side, both still holding him, and she knew he had thought the same thing she did. That voice was worn and scratchy, like it was never used. Or like he had screamed a whole lot. "She's like that, probably wanted to see how I'd react."

"He asked you a question." Makoto bit out beside her.

"Sasuke. Naruto is away on a long term mission, and the Hokage asked me to fill in on your lessons."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?"

"Suspicion, that's good. Maybe Naruto didn't totally mess up your training." He pulled out a scroll and tossed it to them. Makoto caught it and opened it. He passed it to Megumi silently, and she found that it did indeed say that Sasuke Uchiha would be temporarily replacing Naruto-sensei. Megumi humped and let go of Mako.

"Fine then, train us." The slight curving of his lips made her blood go cold.

* * *

Sasuke sat in a tree and watched one of his new Genin teams. He'd been given the teams of Naruto and some Jounin he'd never met before, and he thought it very ironic. Hokage-sama probably did that on purpose. Naruto's team was doing okay, he'd met them yesterday. They weren't particularly strong or skilled, but they were a balanced team. That was just like Naruto, to focus more on teamwork than power. Megumi was the balance, skills and smarts, and just enough power. Makoto was not so bright, but he was good, really good, and his powerful Chakra definitely showed that. Sanosuke was the weakest of the group, but that boy had skill and a good amount of Chakra control. He'd sensed Sasuke when he hadn't been paying attention.

The team he was watching now would need more work. There was Shin, who was arrogant, egotistical, and dismissive of any one but himself. Then there was Atsuko, and Sasuke could tell from here she had a lot of anger in her. Finally he watched Ryou, a shy stuttering kid who let him self be pushed around. A lot, very easily, and by both teammates. Shin and Atsuko butted heads every two minutes, and none of them were on guard. Pathetic. He said so.

The reaction was more than he could have hoped for. Ryou jumped a foot in the air, Atsuko twitched, and Shin whirled in a circle, looking for him. Shin and Atsuko then got in an argument about whose fault it was for distracting who from sensing his approach. Sasuke watched for a minute, and then laughed. It was a very disturbing sound, even to his ears.

"I had hopes for this team; your sensei is a respected Jounin. But it seems like that was nothing more than stories as I watch you." They had followed his voice and were now looking up at him.

"Who the hell are you?" Atsuko sneered angrily.

"You should speak nicer to your new sensei."

"Why? We never spoke nice to our old one." Shin scoffed. There was a flash of metal and then more than a few of Shin's blonde hairs fell to the ground.

"That's why." Sasuke said, dropping to the ground. "Your former sensei may not have demanded respect, but he's not here now, and I _do_ demand respect. Especially when that could have easily been your eye. Get in formation." Sasuke barked in a commanding voice. He was annoyed, but was sure his face didn't show it. Yes, this team would need a lot more work.

* * *

He had team trainings with Naruto's group once a week, and individual trainings for each twice a week. They already worked well together, the best he'd seen in fact. So he worked them separately for the most part. Team three was different, and he worked with them entire team every day. They were required at precisely five in the morning, and he trained them ragged until noon. At one he then spent six hours with that day's student from Naruto's team, Wednesday's were team days.

Squashing team three's attitude wasn't as hard as he'd thought it would be. After he'd beat them down that first day they tried to rebel even more. Sasuke had told them to show up at four the next morning, and then he had made them run until they puked and past that. Shin had complained about training on a Saturday, and so early in the morning. That was run out of him. He'd taken to praising Ryou whenever he did something right, and correcting him gently when he didn't. With Atsuko he'd be logical, countering her anger with reason. Sasuke knocked Shin down whenever he got too high, and took care not to treat him as an equal.

It was different for Naruto's team, as most things seemed to be. Sanosuke he was brutal with, never pulling his punches. The boy needed to know that there would be pain in being a ninja. Megumi he challenged, throwing obstacle after obstacle after her, forcing her to work her own strengths and not that of her team's. Makoto he taught, and then sparred, demonstrating time and again the importance of thinking and the need for skill as well as power.

Today he waited for team three, and wondered how he thought of them differently in his head. He called team ten 'Naruto's team.' He thought back on the past two weeks, and marveled. Since when had he been a good teacher? Since when had he bothered to care? He hadn't cared for anyone but Itachi, Naruto, and Sakura; not for a very long time. He could see why Naruto had taken to this, when he'd become a Jounin two years ago. These Genin, these kids, they grew on you. They made you proud that you taught them something, and that it might help them survive in the future. If he wasn't careful, they might just heal his broken soul.

When the team showed up, waiting expectantly for him to give his first training exercise for the day, Sasuke pondered even more. Shin was limping still, and Ryou was babying that wrist he'd almost broken. Atsuko did not look injured, but Sasuke could see the tightness around her eyes. He'd really beat them down the past two days, the constant strain of practice seven days a week taking its toll. Slowly, a plan began to form. He'd been helping, sure, but their teamwork hadn't really improved. Something needed to be done about that.

"Sit down." Sasuke told them. His voice had improved because of its continual use, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. Naruto would be surprised when he got back and heard it. If he got back.

"What are we doing today?"

"We're not going to train today." He got various exclamations of surprise over that. "All three of you are injured. It wouldn't be productive. Instead, you should tell me about yourselves. Your files don't tell me much, but as it seems I'll be your sensei longer than intended, I have to get to know you." So they talked, slowly at first, but then more as they got comfortable, and eventually to each other and not him, and Sasuke smiled mentally. They talked and played games as a team for the entire seven hours, Ryou a little bolder in the companionable setting, the boy even had a sense of humor. Atsuko's anger was less bite and more bark, her and Shin even getting into arguments were the words were playful and not meant to hurt. Shin was actually just as insufferable, but more in a relaxed likeable way than on the battlefield.

All three went home with smiles on their faces, and Sasuke started springing situations that tested trust on them whenever he could. It was getting better, slowly, painfully, but team three was starting to actually look like a team. So when the next Tuesday came around, he announced that they should show up at one tomorrow, instead of six. Shin's incredulous 'In the morning?' made the corners of his mouth curve. And so another step was taken.

* * *

The two teams showed up at the exact same time. They eyed each other, neither prepared for this. Sasuke hadn't told them they would be training together. He hadn't wanted them to know, to make any sort of preparations. They hadn't, they were caught off guard and that was how he'd test them.

"Team's ten and three," he addressed them, "You'll be training together today. Attack me." He wasn't sure that was a good idea, there were six of them, even if they were Genin, and he couldn't access his Chakra for Genjutsu. It turned out he hadn't needed to worry. It took three minutes before it fell apart. Atsuko and Makoto got into a shouting match; apparently Makoto had stepped on her foot and ruined her attack. Makoto's defense was that Atsuko had been in his way and thrown him off balance. Ryou had pulled away almost immediately, shy mannerisms firmly in place. Shin and Megumi were both trying to pull their teammates apart, and Sanosuke was nursing the blow to the ribs Shin had 'accidentally' given him.

"Look at yourselves." Sasuke said softly. All fighting stopped and both teams looked at him. "Already fighting each other, and over petty things I'm sure you know better about. You're not always going to be Genin in these groups. You will have to learn to work with others, people you don't know, have never met. You six know each other, and you can't even have the patience to work out how to work together." By then all six heads were bowed shamefully. "Again. And work it out his time; don't be so quick to jump at each other." They worked then, and worked some more. They went through various exercises, him mixing the teams up and pitting them against him or each other. None of them got home until ten, but it was worth it. He'd taught them something.

Since when was he a teacher?

* * *

How is it? Feed back would be nice; I want to know how I'm doing. 


	2. in the hint

Eyes; golden, slit eyes. Snake eyes. It was all he could see, all that was there. They consumed his vision, pained flared on his shoulder, there was nothing else. Then he saw Naruto, with red eyes, slit like the first but different. Nine silver tails flew out from behind him, and that Chakra, that terrifying, overwhelming, exhilarating Chakra. Foxy foxy, come here little fox. Fight with me fox, fight with me. And he was fighting, a memory of that fight with Naruto when they were both so young and foolish. Then he was a boy, so small it was unbearable and he tried, he really tried, but Niisan is so much bigger. Perfect, Father called him, genius, prodigy. You should be more like your brother, Sasuke, don't disappoint me Itachi. He heard it echo, teachers and strangers, look at him, the Uchiha boy, yes, a most promising student, the clan prodigy. Be the best Sasuke, don't disappoint. You'll never be good enough, brother, you'll never beat me. Fire on his arms, it burns! Make it stop! Don't, please don't! You can't do this! Fire left the marks and he couldn't move, couldn't see, his life was gone. Get back here! I can still fight! Don't you walk away! You're annoying, Sasuke, don't bother me again. No! Gates loomed in his vision, and relief seeped into his tired bones. It would end here, the humiliation would stop here. They would kill him. They hated him for his betrayal, for the pain he caused. It would stop here. It never stops! I'll get you for this, Itachi, I swear! I'll kill you for their deaths. Killing…death…pain…-

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha snapped his eyes open, looking for the sound that woke him from his slumber. After a few minutes he didn't hear anything, and he realized it was not something external that had woke him. He- he'd been startled into wakefulness by a nightmare? It was- that hadn't happed for years! Angry at himself, Sasuke got up and dressed. He knew he would not be able to sleep. Naruto might not mind if he woke him up for some sparring. Oh, right, Naruto was missing and Sakura too. Sasuke sighed and made his way to the forest, he'll train alone then.

* * *

_Blood dripped down into one eye and Sasuke was having trouble keeping his opponent in focus. Startled, Sasuke snapped his Sharingan back into place. His opponent sharpened instantly. He suddenly wished he hadn't, seeing that Itachi had an amused look on his face. Damnit! He could have used the Mangenkyou while he didn't have his Sharingan on, and Itachi didn't. _He's not fighting me!_ Some part in him screamed._

"_Don't you dare hold back! Fight me!" That amused look was still on the other's face. Sasuke made some quick hand signals then put his right hand over his left wrist. Lightning formed there, and a chirping sound filled the air. Itachi looked slightly startled._

"_It looks like we were both holding back. Come at me, brother." The tone was mocking; he was reminding Sasuke of their shared blood. It infuriated him. Sasuke charged at his greatest speed, veering to the left suddenly and going for a strike at the back. Itachi dodged of coarse, but the strike was not for his heart as expected, and Sasuke still buried his hand in his opponent's lower back. A gleam alerted Sasuke of the katana wiping around to chop off his head, and Sasuke mused for a second if his Sharingan had even noticed when Itachi had picked it back up again._

_Bending backwards at the waist to avoid the hit, Sasuke dug his hand upward into Itachi, towards the chest. The katana was coming back around and Sasuke threw his right foot up and over Itachi's shoulder hooking it around the older one's neck and using that to lever himself into the air, avoiding the blow by less than an inch. Itachi then took the katana and switched hands in the front, stabbing down over his left shoulder with it. Caught by surprise, Sasuke could only move to the right and let the blade come, his movement resulting in the miss of his heart. _

_Twisted like a pretzel and hanging of his brother's back, Sasuke reached over and clutched the sword with his right hand, using his free foot to push off Itachi's back and yank the katana with him. He left it there, not wanting to waste time pulling it out. He then dug upwards with his left hand again, making a quick series of one handed signals. He spread the fingers of the hand in Itachi, widening the wound, before dispatching his Chidori and bringing his right palm down on the inside of his left forearm. Before Itachi could pull away fire laced up Sasuke's arm and into Itachi. The older boy made a gurgling sound before his knees gave out._

_A satisfied smile on his face, Sasuke pulled his hand from his brother's body.

* * *

_

"Wow."

"I second that."

"Yeah." Team three stared at their newest sensei. He was fighting an invisible opponent, kicks and punches a blur, sweat showing obviously that he'd been here a long time, but still his speed was off their scales. "Hey, what do you think he's doing out here? I mean, he's been here a long time, why was he out that early?"

"Just because he'd good doesn't mean he doesn't still train, Atsuko. He has to stay in shape you know."

"I know that-"

"My father," Ryou started softly, and both of his team mates turned to him instantly. The shy boy didn't interrupt often. "Said that he was a missing-nin. Sasuke-sensei, I mean. That he was gone for four years."

"My mom wouldn't talk about it." Shin conceded.

"My older brother said he was going to the Hokage to demand someone else for our sensei. He came back really grumpy, called Hokage-sama a 'senile old woman who needs to have her eyes fixed.'" Someone laughed. Three sets of eyes snapped to Sasuke. His laugh was still really disturbing, even if his voice had improved.

"Run around the village, outside not inside, no using Chakra." Shin, who had groaned as soon as he heard the word 'run', opened his mouth.

"What'd we do?" All they got was that twist of his lips that passed for a smile. Sighing they all set off. As soon as they were out of sight someone spoke up.

"You, Sasuke Uchiha, are a cruel sensei." Someone dropped out of a tree.

"Kakashi, I do believe you are on time."

"Nah, I was supposed to be here yesterday." Even though the words were light, the tension in the air was thick. The two had never really gotten back on good terms. Sweat was trailing down his face, and Sasuke wanted to wipe it off, but his towel was behind him and that would mean turning his back on Kakashi. This entire village had been his enemy once, and no matter the three years he'd lived here those habits were not breaking.

"Hn." Whether Kakashi had noticed his hesitation to turn his back or not, he traveled to the left and sat on a rock. This let Sasuke reach sideways for his towel and still stay facing the ninja.

"You shouldn't be angry at them for being curious."

"I'm not."

"Come on, are you telling me you just sent them running because you wanted to? You didn't like that they were asking their families for information on you." Sasuke just toweled himself off and slung the white fabric around his neck, watching his former sensei. "Not that I blame you really, living in a village where half the population wants to kick you out and the other half kill you outright, suspicion is good." Sasuke watched him, and had a sudden flashback of the month after he came back, when he'd attacked his former sensei for saying sorry, heedless of his own injuries. The look he could see in the Jounin's eye was similar to the expression he'd worn then.

"If you're going to apologize again, you'll get the same answer." Sasuke told him, not willing to dance around it and act like they were having a normal conversation. Kakashi gave no reply, which Sasuke took as acceptance. Things were not easy between the former student and his master and Sasuke was not going to go around and pretend that they were.

"We're back!" Shin called, huffing and puffing from the run and looking like he was going to fall forward.

"What's our time?" Atsuko asked breathlessly.

"Individual or team?" Sasuke asked while looking down at his zeroed stopwatch.

"Min-" Shin started to request his time separately but was cut off.

"Team time please, Sasuke-sensei." Sasuke was so surprised he told Ryou the time, let it slip from him without thought or control. The muscles in his shoulders were so tight they hurt, and sound seemed filtered for a second. _Relax, relax. Relax._ Then the tightness loosened and it must have only been a few seconds because they were still celebrating for breaking their record. He had wanted them to work for the time, to see if it was worth it to them. That training was blown out the window.

Slowly, Sasuke began to smile. An idea came to him, this one looking like a fiasco waiting to happen. And he couldn't wait.

"We are going to have a test today." Sasuke announced pulling something out of his pocket. "If you fail you have to run three times around the village." He expected them to fail, and it was not going to be forgotten.

"Three times? No fucki-"

"Atsuko!"

"But Sasuke-sensei, three times?" The girl demanded. Sasuke stiffened again.

"Sensei," Sasuke said sharply. "Just sensei." If they were going to label him teacher then he'd rather it not be right next to his last name. That disturbed him. They gave him a puzzled look, but didn't ask.

"It doesn't matter, 'cause I'll beat it easy." Shin declared. "What's the test sensei?" Sasuke opened his hand to show what was in it. The three Genin stared in surprise, and muffled laughter came from the left.

"Bells?" Atsuko asked, incredulously. "Our test is bells?" The laughter was louder at that.

"The test is to take the bells from me. And ignore him, he's just checking up on our progress."

"But there are only two bells." Ryou pointed out. "And three of us."

"Great, he can count." Atsuko rolled her eyes.

"Two bells, so that way one of you still fails and I get to make them run." The three Genin just stared at him.

"Sensei, you're weird."

* * *

It was perfect.

Shin, determined to show the others up in front of Kakashi, broke off almost immediately. Atsuko did the same, the thought of team work not occurring to her, just that she did not want to run. Ryou hesitated, giving him a strange look, before he too left. Ryou might have suspected it, but he was still to timid to say anything to his team mates.

Shin's first attempt was fierce, empowered by will. He went down in thirty seconds. Atsuko attacked him with shuriken from behind, but found herself tied to a tree. Ryou used her distraction to pop out of the ground beneath him and make a grab for the bells. He came the closest, but Sasuke had him tied up next to Atsuko in a minute.

He knew his team, and had expected Ryou to come from the ground just as he expected Atsuko to start using long range attacks. Shin was harder to read when he was showing off, but he alone couldn't come close to taking Sasuke down. After Shin's second try all three were tied up.

"What did you do wrong?" They were silent. "Shin, you were so caught up in the idea of impressing a Jounin, you let your ego take control. Atsuko, you're too rash. You don't think things through enough, just act. And Ryou, that was a nice try, but you know better. You need to know when to stand up and say something." They were still silent. "Well, do you know now what you did wrong?" Sasuke asked sharply.

"Yes, sensei."

"No you don't! Did the last two weeks entirely slip from your mind?" His voice was insulting, biting, trying to get them riled like he did with Naruto.

It worked.

Sasuke listened as Shin and Atsuko shouted excuses and profanities at him, arguing with each other about anything and everything. But Sasuke just stood there silently and watched Ryou, waiting. _Come on…_

"Teamwork." Ryou was quiet, the word soft. Atsuko and Shin kept arguing, having not heard him. Sasuke just watched at the shy boy, encouraging. "Teamwork!" Ryou called louder so the other two would hear him. "It was a teamwork test!" Atsuko and Shin went dead silent, stunned by the obvious revelation.

"And you failed." Sasuke put in, breaking the silence. "But since Ryou figured it out he gets to eat before running."

"What? We don't get to eat before hand? But three times around will take the rest of the day!"

"Tough, now get started." Sasuke went to his pack and dropped a boxed lunch at Ryou's feet. He then turned and left, leaving them there.

"Uh, Sensei? Sensei, we're still tied up." Shin said timidly.

"Then use an escape Jutsu. And don't try to get out of running, remember what happened last time."

"I can't believe he left us tied up!" Atsuko said angrily.

"Get over it."

"Get over it? I'll show you get over it!"

Ryou sighed and hung his head.

* * *

Sasuke glared up at the tower where the Hokage resided. He'd been summoned again. It was really strange going into that tower, though he didn't know why. Anbu shadowed him again. Though it irritated him less this time, he was more nervous about it. Maybe because of all the fighting, however easy, that he was doing now. His nerves had been on edge for a while.

If possible Tsunade looked even worse than before. Tensions had been high, sure, but it puzzled him as to why she looked this ill. She looked up this time, before going back down to her work, tension plainly radiating from her form. That was…different. Was she afraid of him? Surely she could beat him in a fight, or was she really sick?

"Uchiha, I need your teams to start taking C class missions. They've had enough of D ranked ones, and to be truthful with tensions like they are not many people are putting in for help with menial tasks anymore. Both your teams need to step it up. I have one ready for you to take." Sasuke fumed internally; mad this had just been shoved on him without warning. He took the folder with the mission specks and nodded silently, tuning on his heal to leave.

"Oh, and Sasuke? Be careful out there. Two more teams have been jumped, and another missing. Things are brewing beneath the surface, and they're dangerous."

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or setting. No copyright infringement intended.

AN: Sorry if my timeline is a little off, but he did leave for the sound when he was about thirteen, right? So he got away after his three years were up, but I don't think he'd just go right back to Kohona. So in my story he spent another year roaming and learning obsure techniques before finding his way to Kohona again. Now he'd been in the Leaf for three years since then, which means his twentieth birthday should be popping up soon. There, that's the timeline.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed: Son of Darkness, sugarbox, Ashley, Spectrum, and Yakusha.

That said…feed me! I need to know how I'm doing! Please review! And please, say something besides 'I like it, write more.'

TS


	3. in the memories

"Get down!"

His first mission with Naruto's team was a complete disaster. He had honestly not been expecting it.

"I am down!" He hadn't felt comfortable testing team three's newfound trust, and considering how horribly they'd failed the test it was a good choice. So the first C mission went to Naruto's group.

"Both of you, into the trees." Hokage-sama had actually meant that she would spare Kakashi for missions when she could, the old hag, so it was just Sasuke.

"Damnit, move Megumi." It was all very frustrating, actually. They'd been _finished_ with the fucking mission. The trouble had started after.

"I'm trying!" They'd been jumped, and he had no idea why. The attackers were ninja's, Sasuke could tell, but they bore no village identification.

"Sensei!" He even wore his old headband. He had been offered a new one just before the mission, but Sasuke had turned it down. The mark Naruto had made on his was symbolic, and he wouldn't part with it.

"Training, Sano, remember." Funny the way he saw things these days. Sasuke was pulling Megumi out of harms way, some shurinken having pinned her to the ground. Makoto was in the trees like he'd told him to and Sanosuke was finally remembering the Taijutsu he'd been taught. His opponent went down hard.

"I did it Sensei!" The battle had been rough. It was obvious they had run into trouble on missions before, but never with so many attackers, and always with Naruto.

"Now don't let down your guard." Sasuke said, bringing down the ninja that had been sneaking up on the boy with a well placed kunai. He'd been doing that all night, and it was hard being in four places at once.

"To me!" Sasuke called out, and it felt strange to work with them like this. They were Naruto's team, and Naruto would be back to take them. He had to come back. The last few went down, and the three Genin sat down in relief. "What are you doing? Our position has been compromised. We have to get back to the village now!" They just groaned and stood up again.

* * *

_Leaning over to check for sure that Itachi was out, a flash of warning shot threw him. Too late, though, because the elder was up and had a hand around his neck and the other pinning his arms above his head. Sasuke struggled, but the other was bigger, stronger physically, and he'd been _beaten_ again! Air was stuck in his chest, and he couldn't exhale to inhale, the edges of his vision becoming fuzzy with lack of oxygen. Sasuke felt the Sharingan slip from his eyes, unable to hold it there in his weakened state. He tried struggling, and eventually his vision whited out completely. _

_Just before he lost consciousness the pressure lifted, and Sasuke let air out and then heaved in a much needed breath. He was far too preoccupied getting oxygen into his lungs to notice his arms were free, that Itachi was making some series of complicated signals. Belatedly realizing his Sharingan was down again, he snapped it back on in time to catch the second half of the Jutsu. When he had enough energy to move Sasuke made to get up and out of the way of whatever attack, but his brother was done. Pale hands reached out and grabbed a hold of each of Sasuke's forearms._

_The pain was immense, like something burning into his skin, and then into the muscle, and then deeper to shred his Chakra. It hurt like nothing had ever hurt for him before, and Sasuke screamed. Screamed even as he wished he wasn't, because he could hear Itachi laughing above him._

"_Come and find me again when you've broken this seal, and you will be worthy enough to fight me. Before then, and you die without avenging their deaths." _

_The world vanished in a haze of pain.

* * *

_

When Sasuke got home that night he was struck by how barren his house was. All of his plants had died, and the flowers in vases were shriveled and browning. Dust settled everywhere, and he was in dire need of a trip to the market. It hit him then, really hit him. Sakura and Naruto were _gone_. There was no Sakura to stop by and water his plants and replace his flowers. No Sakura to complain that he wasn't eating enough and make him a huge dinner, or to dust his living areas ceiling to floor just to have the excuse to spend time with him. Naruto wasn't here to spar with at all hours of the night, to trade insults with or to get him laughing. His team was _gone_, out there somewhere and _he should be looking for them!_ They had been kidnapped by someone and- god! They were probably already dead!

Sasuke cut that thought off quickly. As much as he said he didn't care, as much as he _wanted_ not to care, they had pushed their way in. And he didn't want them to die. He'd avoided thinking about it until now, and that had worked. So he would keep avoiding it. With determination Sasuke set out to clean his house, and when he was done it looked absolutely normal.

He could pretend nothing had changed.

* * *

_Naruto smelled the blood before anything. He stiffened in his tree, instantly alert from when he'd been dozing. Dropping to the ground he tried to make out which way it came from, but the smell was overwhelming. It worried him more that the smell was familiar. Picking his way cautiously through the forest Naruto tried to follow it._

_It was then he felt it. Faint, flickering, hardly there at all, but he felt it. Alarmed he took of towards it, and found what he'd feared. Sasuke, covered in blood and staggering through the forest. Sasuke didn't notice him at first, and only looked up when he heard Naruto's footfalls._

"_Sasuke? What happened?" He should have expected the response he got, but he hadn't thought Sasuke was that stupid. The punch was slow, horribly slow, and had no Chakra behind it. Naruto stood there and let it hit him, wondering who the hell Sasuke had fought to leave him like this.

* * *

_

The nightmares didn't go away.

They got worse.

Bad to the point that he dreaded sleep at night and it made him angry. It reminded him of when he was little and afraid of the dark, and his father's voice. _You are an Uchiha! Uchiha's are not afraid, especially of the dark!_ He remembered Itachi letting him sleep in his room at night, and it hurt. Hurt to know that he had _cared_ and it was why he'd been left to this hell of a life. This struggle to get stronger that had consumed everything, still consumed everything.

He stopped sleeping eventually; couldn't stand it anymore when he woke up and realized he'd been _crying_. It was weak, and he wouldn't stand for it. So he spent nights researching, making up for the time he'd missed teaching the Genin. Memorizing the Uchiha library, perfecting the Forbidden Jutsu's he'd been taught at the Sound, and finding a way to undo Itachi's seal. The third had been his focus for the last three years, but it was hard when he knew only the second half of the hand signals.

_Honestly, Uchiha, I don't think I should remove it. You are a dangerous Shinobi, and your allegiances are still in question. If you give me everything you know of the Sound I'll see what I can do._

There was a reason he didn't care for Tsunade. He was still convinced that she knew how to undo the seal, no matter what Naruto said. The woman had taken his information and then told him the seal wasn't one she was familiar with, and she couldn't undo it. It had only been the knowledge that he couldn't beat her without his Chakra that had kept him from attacking her then. He wouldn't be so kind when he got it back.

* * *

"What?" 

"Are you crazy?" Sasuke just grunted. He been called crazy by Naruto enough times it didn't bother him. Not that it had bothered him in the first place. "But…but…he's-"

"The best one for it."

"I'm stronger than he is!" Atsuko burst out.

"He's the better leader."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Ryou mumbled. Both his teammates shot him mean looks.

"Who won the strategy test?"

"Ryou but-"

"Who directed the attack when you worked with team ten?"

"Ryou but-"

"Who understood the bell test?"

"Ryou but-"

"Then I don't see the problem."

"He's so-shy!" Sasuke just looked at her. "I hate it when you're so logical!" Sasuke smiled in his head. _So does Naruto. You remind me of him._ Shin stomped at the ground angrily, not having said anything besides the initial outburst of surprise. _He's planning something._

And Sasuke was right. Atsuko defied Ryou at every turn, and Shin kept trying to show him up, make him get flustered and make mistakes. It didn't really work, only made them fail at every thing they tried. That reflected as badly on Shin and Atsuko as on Ryou. Eventually Sasuke stopped them and told them that he had been told by the Hokage that he was to start bringing his teams on C ranked missions. That really got them excited. He then told him that team ten had already been on one with him.

"Why did they get the first one?" Shin complained. A small smile pulled at Sasuke's lips.

"Because they work as a team and know when to take orders, unlike you three. And I will keep giving them the C ranked missions, Hokage's orders or not, until I feel that you can do the same." That shut them up. It also got them trying to work together. Progress was made by the time training was over, and Sasuke had to wonder again when he'd become so good with children.

* * *

Megumi was getting talented. Really talented. She would make a powerful Shinobi with the proper attention, and that's what Sasuke was giving her. Eventually he decided to try and teach her some fire Jutsu's, because while Makoto's power was more suited for it, it took more than power to control fire. Megumi was perfect to begin teaching such a thing to. 

Naruto wouldn't like that, Sasuke realized, him teaching her the Uchiha Jutsu's. It was too much like he was taking her as his apprentice, and that was stepping on Naruto's toes. Foxes are territorial, after all.

He'd already started showing her the hand signs for it though, so he couldn't back out. If he taught her other things too Naruto might not take it so personal. That wasn't for sure though, Naruto took everything personal.

Megumi got a spark on the seventh try, and while he had been younger and done it faster, she wasn't an Uchiha. This didn't come naturally to her. He stopped her after that, knowing if he pushed harder she'd pushed herself and burn down the forest practicing without him. He didn't want her to get in trouble, so he left it there. Next he taught her the beginning stage of an obscure Taijutsu from beyond the Rock, and she took to that as well.

Sasuke only taught her a little of each thing, never going extensively into any form or Jutsu. She was still young, and sometimes it was bad to stand out too much. _They say that the nail that sticks up is the first to get hammered down._ Kakashi's words have so much more meaning eight years later.

He also made sure to give tips. When she was learning he'd say or do something that would help her in the future, even if they didn't seem special at the time. Near the end of his session with her Sasuke found himself considering teaching her animal summoning. She didn't have enough Chakra now for it to be viable in battle, but he considered it anyway.

Megumi was talented, after all.

* * *

Sanosuke was different, very much so. He'd taken to the Taijutsu well enough, and had started doing morning exercises to make up for his lack of strength. After a while Sasuke noticed that this wasn't really making Sano stronger physically. He didn't tell him to stop, but instead started to teach him a different Taijutsu style, one that used his opponent's strength against him. That worked much better. Sasuke then focused more on Sano's strengths. 

Sanosuke, it seemed, was very good at Genjutsu.

It was made even more powerful by the fact Sano had excellent Chakra control. He caught on fast too, and he could prefect a Genjutsu in two sessions. Once Sasuke was sure he'd learned a fair amount, he directed Sano in manipulating various Genjutsu's and how to combine them. He didn't have a head for adapting Jutsu's like Megumi, but Sano understood well enough.

* * *

Makoto was taking longer. 

He was getting it, sure, but too slowly for Sasuke's tastes. He noted that Naruto had started teaching Mako some of the more advanced Taijutsu's, and expanded on that, but it wasn't enough. This wasn't Atsuko, who he could convince with logic. Makoto was just…dumb.

Sasuke didn't know what to do with that. Sure, Naruto was dumb sometimes, but he'd gotten the hang of it. And Naruto had this ability of getting smart when it counted. Mako just didn't have that. Sasuke watched as he was charged headlong again, and thought (not for the first time) that dumb people should be forbidden from joining the Academy.

As he stopped the large Genin, Sasuke tried to think of what had snapped Naruto out of it. He wasn't willing to teach Makoto any powerful Jutsu's until he smartened up, and it was a waste. Naruto's rivalry with him had been part of it, Sasuke was sure. Also his goal to become Hokage had pushed him.

"Makoto, why did you join the Academy?" The boy looked up at him with a surprised look on his face.

"My dad wanted me to."

"What do you want out of being a ninja?" Mako puffed his chest out and put a grin on his face.

"To be the strongest!" That had about as much thought put into it as Naruto's Hokage quest. At least when he'd strove for something it had been planned. Somewhat. As Sasuke stood and mulled the thoughts over in his head something hit him. Taijutsu. Advanced Taijutsu forms require control and intellect. Naruto had started teaching him advanced Taijutsu. So teaching Mako advanced forms would push him into thinking.

"Alright Makoto, show me the first stance for Karate Taijutsu."

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or setting. No copyright infringement intended. 

How did I do? Thanks to: Son of Darkness, Ashley, sodesne, XxLilyNGxX, Kamitra, Pale Rider, and princessmoi for reviewing. You encouraged me greatly.


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